Happy Teacher's Day

 Aishah and Nora helping out with the cupcakes :)

 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Che Noraini, long time friend

the lunch with the gang

What a day!Today is Unesco endorsed Teacher's Day.ASA ( read: me) took the opportunity to examine the status of the academe and teaching as a profession.

Alhamdulillah, the halfday seminar I helped organise went well.Lots of intellectual discussions on teaching and learning at tertiary level and our 3 speakers delivered well their lectures.Datuk as always came early.As always our security guards screwed up the welcome.Geram je.Nanti I nak report kat En. Hamdan, their Director.

Otherwise, things went as planned except a pail of my 100 roses airnya tertumpah dlm bag cupcakes wondermilk i..haha...nasib tak basah cakes tu ...I have to thank Nora and Aishah of my former office at Alumni who found ways on how to dry up the boxes.The cleaners came to assist as well.

Putri's coming in to help out with the lunch arrangement, etc etc eased up the burden of me feeling like I was alone organising this.I mc-ed as well sampai lupa cv Aslam and Che Noraini.So kaypoh!But the guys were great..Dr. Mazslee, Prof  Farid, Dr. Tunku Mohar, even Prof Rosli from UM came to show their support.The gals Dr. Maheran,Prof Ainul, Dr. Haslina were sweet darlings as well.

The gist of the seminar: lecturers in Msia are paid low ..hence, we are not able to retain best talents.Those best who stayed back are either simple people or true teachers/scholars.

Aslam: most of my friends are in oil and gas but I do not like their lifestyles.
Touching,isn't it?

Rosli: let's go back to embracing liberal education.

Mazslee: we educate to transform society

Che Noraini: no money, no talk, no knowledge ( on how knowledge is a commodity..those who have a higher purchasing power,will go far)

Datuk Razali: we must not look at braindrain in a negative way.The focus should be on tapping and maximising these networks of our best talents abroad to benefit us.

Of cos' there was much other info esp from Datuk Razali who came from various industries.He spoke like a typical aerospace engineer,I thought..despite him being everywhere. :))

Lunched out at Booker's.Mandy rice,mandy lamb.Air longan.Aiyooo...on the road!

Happy Teacher's Day, folks.